Accelerated Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Liver at 1.5 T With Deep Learning-Based Image Reconstruction: Impact on Image Quality and Lesion Detection

Objective: To perform image quality comparison between deep learning-based multiband diffusion-weighted sequence (DL-mb-DWI), accelerated multiband diffusion-weighted sequence (accelerated mb-DWI), and conventional multiband diffusion-weighted sequence (conventional mb-DWI) in patients undergoing clinical liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Fifty consecutive patients who underwent clinical MRI of the liver at a 1.5-T scanner, between September 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022, were included in this study. Three radiologists independently reviewed images using a 5-point Likert scale for artifacts and image quality factors, in addition to assessing the presence of liver lesions and lesion conspicuity.

Results: DL-mb-DWI acquisition time was 65.0 ± 2.4 seconds, significantly ( P < 0.001) shorter than conventional mb-DWI (147.5 ± 19.2 seconds) and accelerated mb-DWI (94.3 ± 1.8 seconds). DL-mb-DWI received significantly higher scores than conventional mb-DWI for conspicuity of the left lobe ( P < 0.001), sharpness of intrahepatic vessel margin ( P < 0.001), sharpness of the pancreatic contour ( P < 0.001), in-plane motion artifact ( P = 0.002), and overall image quality ( P = 0.005) by reader 2. DL-mb-DWI received significantly higher scores for conspicuity of the left lobe ( P = 0.006), sharpness of the pancreatic contour ( P = 0.020), and in-plane motion artifact ( P = 0.042) by reader 3. DL-mb-DWI received significantly higher scores for strength of fat suppression ( P = 0.004) and sharpness of the pancreatic contour ( P = 0.038) by reader 1. The remaining quality parameters did not reach statistical significance for reader 1.

Conclusions: Novel diffusion-weighted MRI sequence with deep learning-based image reconstruction demonstrated significantly decreased acquisition times compared with conventional and accelerated mb-DWI sequences, while maintaining or improving image quality for routine abdominal MRI. DL-mb-DWI offers a potential alternative to conventional mb-DWI in routine clinical liver MRI.